WRC 2026 Safari Rally: Speedster Leonardo Varese proves to be fans' favourite in Naivasha

SportPesa Racing speedster Leonardo Varese is proving to be the fans' favourite as he combs the rough terrains of Naivasha in search of glory at the ongoing third leg of the World Rally Championship (WRC) series, the Safari Rally.

His powerful Toyota GR Yaris Rally3 machine has been a hit with local spectators who are flocking to various stages and hospitality tents, set up in Kambi Moran, Delamere, Mzabibu, Morendat and Hell’s Gate by gaming firm SportPesa, to give fans a priceless experience of the rally.

Varese and his navigator are currently putting up a mighty show in the ongoing contest in their quest to top the Kenya National Rally Championship (KNRC) category, even though their basic target was a top-five finish in the debut.

“So far so good, we are cruising well in the rally, and the car is proving itself to be the fastest machine I have ever driven in my entire life. I’m just happy that the vehicle is giving a good account of itself,” noted Varese, whose pace notes are being called out by his long-term navigator, Kigo Kareithi.

Varese and Kareithi have returned to the Safari Rally after a seven-year hiatus, and they are confident that the Sh40 million support by their gaming firm sponsor will help them to take part in the African Rally Championship (ARC), especially the Tanzanian ARC leg and also in other local circuits.

When asked how excited they are to have supported the duo to grace the ongoing Safari Rally, SportPesa Partnership and Sponsorship Manager Japheth Akhulia noted: “We are thrilled that they are in action. We got them a brand-new car. All that we want is the best for them. We were really excited when the car passed the scrutineering stage on Wednesday, and seeing them in action in the Safari Rally is such a big deal for us. It’s history. We are also happy to support their sons who are plying their trade in the autocross national championship, under our Tujiamini program.”

As top sponsors for the ongoing rally in Naivasha, Akhulia says it has been so far a great ride for them, especially seeing fans turn up in large numbers at the Shakedown in Nawisa and at the flag-off at the Wildlife Research Training Institute’s Service Park.

“We have witnessed travelling fans from Uganda (Rally Hunters), Rwanda and even abroad gracing the ongoing rally. This only shows the magnitude of the Safari Rally as an event. We have watched adrenaline-filled stunts and hair-raising actions at Camp Moran, where we have set up a hospitality tent. We host different fans daily, and they have been enjoying live action as they cheer the cars whizz by. We have also set up giant screens for them to follow the action as it unfolds.

“However, Friday was quite a disappointment for the spectators in the location as the stage was cancelled due to the incessant rains that were said to have made the area unfit for the drivers. But we still found a way of ferrying the fans to Delamere and Mzabibu stages to catch up with the rest of the action on the day.”

On Saturday, the gaming firm gave fans a priceless treat at their hospitality tent in Morendat, including an after-party show, where the vehicles passed as they tackled the 417.02km long six stages located in Soysambu, Elmenteita and Sleeping Warriors.

On Sunday, the fans will wrap up their rally experience at Hell’s Gate, famed for the Wolf Power Stage show, where SportPesa has also set up another tent.

“We have been hosting over 300 spectators per day, and that translates to over 1500 who are part of the over 400,000 spectators expected to grace the 2026 Safari Rally. My message to Kenyans is to encourage them to follow the rally as we are the only lucky country in Africa to have the status of the global motorsport’s showpiece,” said Akhulia.

“Hosting the Safari Rally, which is also the toughest leg of the WRC series, is quite a blessing. It’s really amazing to see the kind of cutthroat competition ongoing in Naivasha as the drivers and their technical teams have put in a lot of effort in the game.

“As SportPesa, we are proud to support the rally, which is another feather in our cup. We also support the SportPesa League, we recently supported the Magical Kenya Open golf and the HSBC SVNS2 series held in Nairobi, and we are also supporting Kenya Shujaa.  Supporting all these is just an indication of our promise, which is to lift up Kenyan sports and the 2026 WRC Safari Rally is just another great addition to that,” said Akhulia.

Leonardo Varese profile

Age: 54

Father of two

Navigator: Kigo Kareithi

Car: GR Yaris Rally3

Safari Rally Category: KNRC

Honors: Six-time 2WD national champion

Last Safari Rally: 2019